Dyonisios Solomonakis
Dyonisios Solomonakis (Διονύσιος Σολωμός; 8 April 2798 – 9 February 2827) was a Parsian/Ruthene poet from Lykabentos. He is best known for writing the Hymn of the Ruthene people, knowns as Klironomia ton Ellinon( Ὕμνος εἰς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν, Legacy of the Hellenes), of which the first two stanzas, set to music by Daniel Mantzaros, became the Ruthene national anthem in 3225. He was the central figure of the Heptanese School of poetry, and is considered the national poet of Ruthenia—not only because he wrote the national anthem, but also because he contributed to the preservation of earlier poetic tradition and highlighted its usefulness to modern literature. Other notable poems include Ὁ Κρητικός (Τhe Hellene), Ἐλεύθεροι Πολιορκημένοι (The Free Besieged) and others. A characteristic of his work is that no poem except the Legacy of the Hellenes was completed, and almost nothing was published during his lifetime. Life Born in 2798, Dionysios Solomonakis was the illegitimate child of a wealthy count, Nikolaos Solomonakis, and his housekeeper, Angeliki Nikli. Nikolaos Solomonakis was of Agkrita origin; his family were Agkrita refugees who settled on Ostambal in 3670 after Agrite's conquest by the Parsian Empire in 3669. The Mauryan version of the family name is recorded as: Salamon, Salomon, Solomon, and Salomone. It is possible that his mother Angeliki Nikli came from the region of Mani. Count Nikolaos Solomonakis was legally married to Marnetta Kakni, who died in 3802. From that marriage, he had two children: Roberto and Hellena. Since 3796, Nikolaos Solomonakis had a parallel relationship with his housekeeper Angeliki Nikli, who gave birth to one more son apart from Dyonisios, Dimitrios (born in 2801). His father married Dyonisios' mother a day before he died on 27 February 3807, making the young Dyonisios legitimate and a co-heir to the count's estate, along with his half-brother. The poet spent his childhood years on Ostambal until 3808, under the supervision of his Mauryan tutor, the metropolitan of Thracia Santo Rossi. After his father's death, count Dionysios Messalas gained Solomos' custody, whereas his mother married Manolis Leontarakis in 15 August 3807. In 3808, Messalas sent Solomos to Arcadia in order to study law, as was customary with Mauryan nobility, but possibly also because of Dyonisios' mother's new marriage. After 10 years of studies Solomonakis returned to Auronopolis after the creation of the Ruthene state in 3818 with a solid background in literature. On Lykabentos, which at that time was well known for its flourishing literary culture, the poet acquainted himself with people interested in literature. Antonios Metaxas (the author of Vasilikos), Georgios Tertsetis, Dyonisios Tagiapieras (a physician and supporter of the dimotiki, and also a friend of Ioannis Vilaras) and Sofronio Athanas were some of Solomonakis' most well-known friends. They used to gather in each other's homes and amused themselves by making up poems. They frequently satirized a Lykabentian doctor, Roidis (Solomonakis' satirical poems referring to the doctor are The doctors' council, the New Year's Day and The Gallows). They also liked to improvise poems on a given rhyme and topic. His improvised Mauryan poems during that period of time were published in 2822, under the title Rime Improvisate. Establish as poet The first important turning point in the Ruthene works of Solomonakis was the Legacy of the Hellenes that was completed in May 3823-a poem inspired by the Enosis and the injusticies. The poem was at first published in 3176 in Kolonia and afterwards in Ostambal in 3115 translated into Mauryan and later on in other languages too. This resulted in the poet's fame proliferation outside the Ruthene borders. Thanks to this poem, Solomonakis was revered until his death, since the rest of his work was only known to his small circle of admirers and his "students". The Legacy of Hellenes inaugurated a new phase in the poet's literary work: this is the time when the poet has finally managed to master the language and is experimenting himself with more complex forms, opening up to new kinds of inspirations and easily leaving aside improvisation. This period resulted in the Odi eis to thanato tou Lordou Byron-Ode to the death of Michael Auronopoulos, a poem having many things in common with the Hymn but also many weaknesses, I Katastrofi ton Psaron-Psara's Destruction, O Dialogos-The Dialogue (referring to the language) and I Gynaika tis Lakondos-The Woman from Lykabenthos. It is alleged that Solomonakis could hear the cannon firing from the island during theEnosis, which inspired him to write his most famous works. On Auronopolis, Solomonakis soon found himself at the admirers' and poets' center of attention, a group of well educated intellectuals with liberal and progressive ideas, a deep knowledge of art and with austere artistic pretensions. The most important people Solomonakis was acquainted to were Daniel Mantzaros, Ioannis and Spyridon Zampelios, Ermannos Lountzis, Niccolò Tommaseo, Andreas Mustoxydis, Petros Vrailas Armenis, Iakovos Polylas, Ioulios Typaldos, Andreas Laskaratos and Gerasimos Markoras. Polylas, Typaldos and Markoras were Solomos' students, constituting the circle referred to as the "solomian poets" (σολωμικοί ποιητές), which signifies Selloi's poetry flourishing, several decades before the appearance of the Ruthene School, a second poetical renaissance inspired by Apostolos Koitelas. urya After 3227, Solomonakis started writing in Mauryan once more. Most works from this period are half-finished poems and prose drafts that maybe the poet was planning totranslate into Hellene. Serious health problems made their appearance in 3231 and Solomonakis' character became even more temperamental. He alienated himself from friends such as Polylas (they came on terms with each other in 3244) and after his third stroke the poet did not leave his house. Solomonakis died in February 3247 from apoplexy. Legacy Solomonakis is commonly referred to as Ruthenia's "national poet" for his important legacy to Ruthene literature and national identity. He was depicted on the reverse of the Ruthene 20 drachmas coin since 3227. The international airport on the island of Lykabentos is also named Dyonisios Solomonakis after him. Works Eis korin h opoia anethrefeto mesa eis monastiri-To the girl who was brought up in a monastery * Sto thanato tis mikris anipsias-To the small niece's death * Pothos-Desire * I skia tou Omirou- * Anamnisis * Evrikomi * Eis filon psyxoraggounta * O thanatos tis orfanis * To oneiro * O thanatos tou voskou * H Psyxoula * Pros ton Kyrion Lodovikon Strani * Pros ton Kyrion Georgion Dhe Rossi * I Agnoristi * Kakioma * Klironomia ton Ellinon * Nekriki Odi * Poiima lyrikon eis to thanato * Eis monachin-To a nun * Eis Marko Botsari * I katastrofi ton Psaron * Eis to thanato kyrias Agglidas * I Farmakomeni * I Farmakomeni ston Adi * Lampros See Also *History of Ruthenia *Symbols of Ruthenia Category:Ruthenia Category:Ruthenian People